Trust
by Andrithir
Summary: A new future, a fresh start, it all begins here. Chief/FemShep A/N: Don't read if you don't want to see a romance, this is for the fans of "Lost Legacy" who wanted to see it happen.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I'm probably going to get flamed for this… but oh what the hell. I want to be the first to do it. This is dedicated to those who want a FemShep/Chief element.**

**Borrows heavily from**_** Lost Legacy**_**.**

**XXxxXX**

Commander Jane Shepard sat on the rocky outcrop, completely and totally exhausted. She had her elbows on her knees, hands clasped and her rifle resting by her side. Her weary green-blue eyes gazed over the torn fields in the valley below. So many lives had been lost in the assault against the Deus-Gravemind. But the war was finally over. Shepard could finally just sit back and let it all go.

Sitting alone on the outcrop, Jane's mind began to wander, recalling memories of fallen friends who would never see a tomorrow. She gently lifted her helmet off her head and dropped it onto the wet-grass that lay around her boots. She let the rain run through her brown her as she slowly turned to face the sky. Thunder rumbled somewhere in the distance.

Shepard always liked the rain, and thunder just seemed to add more to it. She let the water run down her face, and wash the blood off her armour. She didn't know how long she had just been sitting there, until soft footfalls brought her back to reality.

His pacing was rhythmic and gentle, like her, he was weary from all the fighting. Slowly, he entered her field of vision, and she could see how badly charred the deep greenish-grey armour was. She looked up and gazed into the gold visor. Jane saw a brief glimpse of her tired reflection before John popped his helmet seals with a hiss, and let it fold into the armour's compartments.

He had a soft weary smile spread across his lips as the heavy rain poured through his crew-cut brown hair.

"Hey," Shepard said softly.

John smiled softly and held out his armoured hand. He'd never been much of a talker, but she was grateful that he had at least responded in a positive manner. Jane wrapped her gloved fingers around his, allowing him to pull her up.

"It's over," she breathed. "It's finally over."

"It finally is," he agreed, exhaling in relief.

The two turned to face the valley and gazed out at everything that stretched beyond them. The war was finally over.

…

**ABOARD UNSC **_**MAJESTIC**_

Jane was happy to get out of the armour and just lie down on her bed. But sleep never came, maybe it was because that she wasn't in her own bed, maybe it was because she wasn't even on her own ship, but something in the back of her mind was keeping her awake. The room was well decorated with ember curtains and sunrise orange walls; it was comforting, but not enough to get her to sleep.

She moved to the dresser and pulled on black cargo pants, and an N7 blouse with its sleeves already rolled up. Jane didn't bother to do up the buttons, just letting her dogtags dangle over her grey singlet. After putting on her boots and making sure her sidearm was strapped to her thigh, she walked past the windows which overlooked the night garden, and out onto the walkway. The café on the landing beneath was open 24/7, and had few patrons at this hour. A couple of doctors, nurses, officers from both the Alliance and UNSC sat at the tables eating a meal, or just talking. People at home would be celebrating, partying in the streets, but those on the frontline would just be happy enough to have a quiet place to sit down and rest.

Shepard walked to the bar and got herself a glass of iced latte, before moving to a table. As she walked out onto the timber balcony, her eyes adjusted to the darkness, and she could see John on the level below that stretched over the lake. The blue pulses that ran along his body were slow and rhythmic, and casted a soft glow onto the surrounding area.

Jane placed her drink down on the table before descending the stair case to meet him. She was careful not to make too much noise as she walked on the timber flooring.

"Can't sleep?" she asked. Out here, no one could see them; it was just him and her.

"No," he said, turning around to face her. He was wearing standard UNSC Officer's BDU, without the armour plates. The night was warm, which meant he had his top button undone and his sleeves rolled up.

Jane moved to the railing and leaned onto it, whilst facing her long-time friend. The soft lapsing of water around them gave a soothing effect. It helped her forget about the war.

"So what now?" she asked softly.

It had always been a topic in the back of her mind. What do Spartans do in times of peace, Spartans like him in particular. John averted his gaze to the water and plants below. The loss of one of his closest friends was still raw and fresh.

"I don't know," he sighed.

Jane had never seen him look so lost before. The first time when they met, he looked slightly confused, but quickly found direction. But now, in the brief period of true peace, he looked so lost. She knew a small part of him never wanted to return to the world of clandestine affairs. Though that was what he was good at.

"I'm really tired, Jane," he whispered. "I don't know where to go from here."

She knew what he meant. She knew that he knew that he had a purpose. She knew that he desired for something more. Something more than fighting and killing. He wanted a tomorrow, he wanted to have what everyone took for granted. It was there, Jane decided to give him just that. He had been through what she had been through, and more. They had been through a lot together, they understood each other, and they could be just themselves around one another. Yes, Jane was prepared to take that leap.

"I have an idea," she said with a soft smile.

Slowly, Jane moved in closer and tilted her head upwards. Slightly sooner than expected, she felt their lips touch, and his arms wrapped around her. One across her back, and the other near the base of her neck. She brought up both of her hands and cupped his cheeks as they remained in their soft kiss.

All things considered, this was actually a pretty good kiss for someone who'd never been kissed before. Jane had her fair share of boyfriends while she was in the academy, when she had graduated; there was little time for those things. But now, things were different. She was prepared to take that next step in life, and she'd rather take it with someone who had been alongside her when things were at their worst.

Shepard had seen enough to no longer want the fairy-tale romance dream that so many girls wished for. She wanted someone who knew her by her side, because chances were, just about every male out there wanted her for her fame and not _her_.

Slowly, they both broke the soft kiss and remained in each other's embrace. Jane brought down her hands and rested them across John's shoulders while she laid her head onto the crook of his shoulder. She felt his chest rise and fall as he breathed contently, aware of a pathway that had just opened for him.

Things change, people change, Jane was aware of that. She was aware of what the augmentations had done to him and his body. But the kiss was sincere, it was the ultimate sign of trust, and that was all that matters, because a relationship based on hormones is doomed to fail, it was something that many failed to grasp.

Jane breathed in slowly, closing her eyes, and relishing this moment.

**XXxxXX**

**A/N: [Breathes in sharply and takes a stance of defiance] Flamers, take your best shot. I'm ready, let's do this.**

**[Gunshot, bullet hits shoulder] OWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWwwwwwwwwwwww w!  
[Breathes in deeply] C'mon, let's do this, I'm r-  
[Gunshot, round hits the other shoulder] Gaaaaaaaah! C'mon, gut shot! Show me what you got!  
[Gunshot]  
[Claps both hands in front of abdomen] Hnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnngh! [In pain] caught the bullet. Oh god. C'mon, headshot, let's go, headshot. End it right hear right n-  
[Gunshot] OWWW! Ah my ear!  
[Falls to the ground, and produces a detonator] Tada! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!  
[Presses the button, and detonates thermobaric warheads]**

…

**Putting that final stand aspect aside, please leave a review and tell me what you guys think.**

**P.S: I'm well aware of the fact that Spartan-IIs (Not too sure what the deal is with the IVs) have a **_**reduced sex drive**_**.**


	2. Chapter 2 (repost)

**A/N: This went better than I expected… though I felt like I just couldn't end it there, so here's a bit extra.**

**XXxxXX**

**THE GREATER ARK, WESTMINSTER FIELDS, Shepard-Richard Beach-house**

The sun had risen again, and the soft rays were flowing through the wall length windows. In her large double bed, Jane stirred and pushed the soft white duvets down from her shoulders. She looked up and found herself to be in the arms of the man she deeply cared for and loved.

She found his embrace to be warm and comforting, and decided to move just a bit closer. John wasn't like most men she'd had been with during their academy days. He slept with a shirt on, and was always respectful of her. He never went around bragging about how she was with him.

Jane watched as his chest slowly rise and fall; she ran her hand over his heart and felt their beats fall in tune. Maybe it's a bit too sappy that something like that could happen, but right now she couldn't really care less. Gently, she cupped his right cheek with her left hand as she rested her head on his arm, and ran her thumb over the light stubble he had yet to shave off. He stirred and slowly opened his eyes. Jane smiled softly, stilling cupping his cheeks.

"Hey," she whispered lovingly.

"Hey," John said with equal measure. He gently bent his forehead down and rested it against hers. He looked into her eyes of swirling green and blue, and smiled. He placed his right hand on her left arm and held it there. Jane tilted her head upwards and closed her eyes as her lips pressed against his. A soft euphoric sense swept across her as he responded and kissed her back.

Everyday whenever they were together, started out like this, a soft wakeup call and a wordless assurance.

"We need to go see Liara and Donnie today," Jane said, breaking the kiss but remaining close.

"I know," John said, gently nuzzling her nose. "When do you want to go?"

"In half an hour," she smiled, closed her eyes and snuggled back into his arms. She always felt safe around him; she always felt that everything was going to turn out alright in the end when he was with her. Softly, she felt him plant a long kiss on her forehead, and smiled.

…

**INVERNESS HOSPITAL**

John steered the Audi onto the carport, it was a little old fashioned of him to be driving a car in an urban area since the on board computer systems could easily perform such a mundane task. But old habits die hard and he wasn't planning on killing this particular habit any time soon.

Shepard had to marvel at how different the Spartan looked outside of military uniform. Being a part of a Special Missions Unit and a senior officer, the regulations pertaining to hairstyles were pretty relaxed. He had grown out his hair, thought it was still considered short by most standards, and he allowed a light stubble.

With everyday passing, Jane found him to be even more human. The clothing she picked out for him was casual, but had a bit of style and flair which suited him perfectly.

After stepping out of the car, Shepard grabbed the gift box and joined John near the console as he waved his hand over the sensor.

"ID recognised," the disembodied female voice said, "stowing away your vehicle."

The grey platform beneath the Audi lifted with a hiss as the large dual doors on the car's right parted with a rumble. Mechanical arms rose from compartments within the ground and gently placed the Audi into an empty space on the rack of cars.

"They're in B-wing," Jane said, checking her Omni-tool, and brushing aside a stray lock of her brunette hair. She slipped her hands into John's, and led the way.

Still to this day, she was still surprised at how soft and smooth his hands were. She always half-expected calloused palms rubbing against hers, but every time, it was soft, smooth skin.

As Jane led the way to B-wing's foyer, more and more people began to recognise them. And it was obvious why. Shepard was by all definitions considered beautiful; she had a well-built slender frame and a fair face. The angelic green and blue glow that ran like a pulse along her skin seemed to enhance it further. John had a pattern of cobalt blue which gave him the image of a god amongst man. The people on in the Magellanic Clouds during the time of the Synthesis Event were unaffected and thus their skin remained "normal".

Both Commanders stood out in the crowd of "normality" like glowing beings. Both of them were household names, both loved and feared, and held in reverence. But Jane really didn't care about the fame anymore, she had learned to live with it, and so did John. He didn't shy away from the cameras as much as he did before, but he made no attempt to seek them out.

Humility, modesty and a buried kindness was what she loved about him. As they entered the main foyer, a few gasps were murmured. Some of the children who were waiting around couldn't take their eyes of Shepard. She was like an angel to them, and John was like a god.

Walking across the clinically white tiled floors and sweeping their eyes across the walls filled with medical bulletins and few paintings, the two reached the desk and the secretary jumped. She was young, no older than twenty-one. It was clear she was that age because her skin was still supple and her eyes were still vibrant and full of youth.

Jane, not having it in her heart to scare the poor girl smiled warmly and as if she was oblivious to her fame.

"Hi, we're here to see Doctor Liara T'Soni, she just had a baby."

"Of course Commander Shepard," the secretary managed to utter, "room twelve on level five."

"Thank you," Shepard smiled.

She led John by the hand again as he stayed close by her side. He was becoming more and more open to physical contact with her, it was something she cherished and treasured. The two made their way to the maternity ward; they didn't fail to notice the number of photos taken and the number of people scrambling out of their way. Except for doctors and nurses on duty, they were the ones who remained on course. A busy mind generally devalued larger-than-life images.

Walking down the clinically white halls of the hospital, Jane took the time to gaze out the wall-length mirrors which revealed a beautiful beach, the outstretched arms of the Ark, the surrounding Halo Rings, and the Lesser Ark.

The two soon reached a door, the guard detail stood aside and gently knocked on it. Jane heard the door part open silently, and entered the well decorated room. The lights were dimmed and the curtains were open, revealing a beautiful vista. The flowers were fresh and bright in colour.

"Hey," Shepard beamed at the Asari.

"Jane, John, so good to see you," Liara smiled.

"How are you guys?" Keyes said happily.

"We're good," Jane said on John's behalf. She looked down at the small bundle of joy that was curled up in Liara's arms. "Isn't she beautiful," Shepard cooed.

"She takes after her mother in the looks department," Keyes beamed, gazing down at his daughter.

Asari baby were one of the more adorable things Jane had ever seen. Donnie and Liara's daughter was clearly no exception. Her skin was a mix of bluish violet, and the freckles that doted the bridge of her nose and the top of her cheeks were lavender. Her eyes were bluish lavender and wide with joy. Soft pulses of emerald green ran in an algorithmic like pattern across her body.

"She's precious," Jane said, gently resting a hand on the bed rails and leaning in to stroke the baby's forehead. John moved up next to her, and rested both hands on her shoulder, an action she did not fail to notice, an action that warmed her.

"What's her name?" he asked.

"Abigail," Keyes sighed happily, unable to turn his gaze away from his little princess.

"That's a beautiful name," Shepard said. She then presented the gift wrapped box she had brought with her.

"Jane, you shouldn't have," Liara said.

Shepard handed the box to Keyes and told him to open it. When he lifted the lid off, his eyes practically bulged out of his sockets.

"Awww, this is too much," Keyes practically cooed.

"What is it?" Liara asked.

Jane smiled, she had gotten Abigail two onesies, one was a UNSC themed outfit, complete with padding that looked like the armour the senior officers wore, gold stripes, and four silver stars. The other was her personal favourite; it was a black N7 themed onesie with a hoodie.

"Oh my," Liara said with mirth and joy.

…

**BACK HOME**

Jane was always amazed at how well John could cook, her culinary skills weren't too bad, but John, he was in a whole different league entirely. He moved with such speed and precision that was only natural to him, but supernatural to her. She wondered if they could resign from their military careers and open up a restaurant somewhere. But she knew deep down that the military life was a very large part of them. And in peace times, it wasn't so bad. A few combat exercises and consultations here and there, the workload had lessened considerably.

Since John was very well known, ONI had few uses for him in the yellow and red zones. It wasn't lost on her that Keyes continually gave him extended leave with pay. Most of the time when Jane had some Spectre duty; she'd get it cleared through UNSC Administration – which would take an hour –and then take John with her.

It was a considerably _easy_ life these days.

"Want me to help you with anything?" she asked, spinning on the counter stool.

John shook his head, "I'll be fine."

The weather was warm; she couldn't help but notice that John did not sweat at all. He was wearing grey shorts and a white collared t-shirt. Jane was wearing a singlet top and short-shorts, and she was practically melting in the heat. The air-conditioning could only do so much.

"Why do they even bother to have a weather system?" Jane asked, fanning herself with a _paper_ magazine while taking a swill of her blood-orange soda. She watched as the beads of water condense on the glass and roll onto her hand.

"Heat's got to vent somewhere, best to make it useful," John shrugged, flipping over the stake with a satisfying sizzle.

"Smart ass," Jane chuckled. "How is this any useful?"

"You and your fashion sense?" John suggested sheepishly.

Jane mulled over the wording, and then it dawned on her. A grin broke across her face.

"Did you just flirt with me?" she giggled.

She rarely giggled, she only reserved for something that was absolutely rare and tremendous. This was one of those moments.

"That's really sweet of you John," Jane beamed.

Their relationship was a bit unorthodox, but Jane wouldn't trade it for anything else. John was a mix between of age old experience and wisdom, with a hint of shyness and naivety. It really did make him all the more adorable.

Jane was about to say something when she saw a news bulletin flash across the wall mounted TV monitor. Today was the first year anniversary that marked the end of the war, and the beginning of her relationship with John. The picture that appeared on screen was probably one of the most famous photos taken in the history of man.

It was Arca, or Adrian as he went by these days. He was walking down the ramp of a dropship, his armour was tattered and charred, and caked in green blood. In his left hand, he held the shattered remains of his helmet, the optics dangling uselessly to the side. And in his right hand, he held his battered and scarred Ember rifle by the barrel. His face was the most haunting thing in the picture by far. He had bags under his hollow, empty blue eyes, dried red blood and soot smeared across his face; it was so think that it eclipsed the cobalt glow of his skin.

Many would believe that the blood on his face was from battle, those who were with him, knew that it was far from the truth. Jane remembered how grief stricken he was. He never showed it in his body language, but his eyes did, and his eyes wept with blood and tears. What happened on the _Normandy_ a few hours later was something she would never forget. The sadness and despair in his eyes, the defeat in victory, the loss in sacrifice.

"Seeing him, it always reminds you of what we had to give," Jane muttered.

John gently set down her meal of steak with mushroom sauce and salad down in front of her, before placing his bowl of pasta beside her.

"He's been through more than most," was all the Spartan said.

"I don't think he's fully recovered," Jane added.

"He never will, not unless…"

"…He has someone else to help him," Jane finished.

The next photo on screen had less of a darker tone. It was the two of them stepping onto _Majestic_'s main hangar bay, their armour was battered and charred, but they had their helmets off and tucked under one arm.

"That's a nice one," Shepard said.

But the next one was even better. Though it horrified the two of them to how as it came into existence. It had been taken on the following night after their first kiss, both of them were in Ceremonial Dress uniform, and held one another in a close embrace as they stood in front of the memorial for the fallen.

"It's been one hell of a ride," Jane sighed. She turned and planted a soft kiss on John's lips as a sign of thanks before facing her meal.

**XXxxXX**

**A/N: Look up Asari baby in N7 dress; it's on Deviantart… positively the cutest thing I have ever seen. =3**

**To those who wish I update **_**Lost Legacy**_**, don't worry, I have a super long chapter in the works.**

**Anyway, please review. I live of it... kinda.**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: So there have been a few readers asking about a Chief/Shepard pairing on my other story **_**Lost Legacy**_**. So I thought, why not write another chapter for **_**Trust**_**.**

**So here it is, (puts on shades) I **_**trust**_** you'll enjoy it. YEAAAAAH!**

_**Zing!**_

**XXxxXX**

**GREATER ARK, WESTMINSTER**

Night had come to pass on the winter wonderland, but it didn't stop families from going out to enjoy themselves. Children ran around in the snow, squealing in delight as they threw sloppily packed blobs at one another. Adults joined in on the fun, or just sat back with a cup of hot chocolate in their hands.

Jane allowed herself a soft smile as she watched the pure joy floating around her. Wearing a white coat with matching scarf, brass buttoned beanie and beige pants; she looked like any other woman on a night out. But if there was one thing that stood out, it was not her green glowing skin, no, she chose to turn the strobing lights off for the night. It was in fact her height, and the man standing beside her.

He was dressed in a black suit with a burgundy tie, white shirt, and a long black coat. They looked just like any other young couple, black gloved hands with intertwined fingers.

"Do you want to go skating?" she asked.

"Sure," John smiled.

Stepping off the boulevard, they crossed the road and worked onto the festive parkland grounds overlooking the harbour. The pond in the centre of the park had frozen over, couples and families of all ages skated around the ice with pure bliss flowing fluidly.

"Have you been skating before?" Jane asked as they walked down the snow coated steps.

"No," John answered.

"First time then?"

He nodded.

Fingers still interwoven, they walked up to the counter by the frozen pond. It provided warm drinks as well as pastries, and skates for hire. What surprised Shepard the most about the storefront however was that it had actual people working behind it. They were most likely contractors hired to add extra PR.

After getting the skates from the clerk, the two off-duty Commanders stored their dress shoes away and pulled on their skates.

Shepard led John onto the ice, but he was a quick learner. His sharp eyes had followed the movements of others and soon after he began to emulate them.

Jane was slightly jealous that he picked it up in a few minutes if not seconds. It had taken her a few hours to become somewhat competent at skating, and a few more to become fully confident. Of course those thoughts quickly left her mind as they skated on the ice together.

He moved with such fluidity and precision that it made him graceful. Shifting his weight and momentum from one leg to another, he left a fine trail in his wake as he glided across the surface.

"Show off!" Jane teased.

A few skaters looked at them with mirth. John shrugged and skated back to her. Offering a hand, they moved together in unison. Reaching around the back, Shepard undid her pony tail and let her long brown hair flow behind her. She laughed with joy and happiness as he twirled her around him.

"The aurora will be starting soon," Jane whispered.

"Where should we sit?"

"I saw a bench on the outlook."

They glided back over to the entrance, swapped their skates back for their shoes and walked over to the bar.

"What would you like?" the barrister asked.

"Two hot chocolates, two crème Brule and two chocolate Danishes," Jane answered.

John offered to pay, but Shepard was having none of that, arguing that he cooked for them at home, so this was the least she could do.

Pastries and drinks in hand, they walked around the park and watched the festivities while eating their food. Finishing what they bought, Shepard took the rubbish, scrunched them up into a ball and hurled it into a bin.

"Score," she smirked, having watched the object arc perfectly through the air and land with precision into the can.

John gave a short laugh and shook his head.

"That looks fun," Shepard smiled, watching children create a snow man. Being an immortal race, she expected the Coalition's humanity to have a very low birth rate. But with recent war and the need for expansion, the UEG had encouraged a population expansion.

_Would be good for our kid to grow up with plenty of friends_, she pondered._ Wait, where'd that come from?_

Sitting down on the bench, Jane rested her had against his shoulder. She felt his arms wrapped around her, pulling her in closer. Smiling, she interlaced her fingers with his free hand and squeezed. She felt his forehead rest upon her, letting go of his gloved palms, she reached out and cupped his cheeks. Caressing them gently, she watched as his eyes close and a smile spread across his face.

She loved that expression, full of love and joy. It was something that only she had the privilege of seeing. Slowly, she leaned in and captured his lips with her own. Sucking on his upper lip, she felt his warm breath caress her cheeks. Deepening the kiss, she could taste the Danishes, but underneath all that, she found his uniqueness.

Ending the kiss, she pulled away and rested her head at the crook of his neck. Breathing in, she smelt the crisp air on his coat, the light cologne and his own scent. She smiled as he pulled her in even closer.

"I love you," Jane whispered, watching her breathe fade away.

His gloved hand brushed against her face, tucking away stray strands of her brunette hair, before settling at the nape of her neck.

"I love you too," he smiled.

**XXxxXX**

**A/N: Flamers be knockin' on my door, I can feel the heat.**

**[Breathes in sharply] I'm ready flamers, do your worst.**

**I've drunk a gallon of milk and kept it down… not so much up – if you catch my drift. But I kept the milk down nonetheless. You've got nothing on me flamers.**


End file.
